ANNE FRANK STICHTING (Foundation)
The Holocaust Centre of New Zealand

Imagine spending years in hiding because of prejudice and hate. This was reality for Anne Frank and the other residents of the secret annex in Amsterdam.

Developed by Anne Frank House in the Netherlands, and viewed by more than 10 million people in 80 countries, this exhibition explores what life in hiding was like for Anne, her family, and the other occupants of Prinsengracht 263.

By inviting us to consider events in war-torn Europe and during the Holocaust, the exhibition asks each visitor what they might do in similar circumstances. It not only highlights themes of identity, prejudice, and discrimination in the past, but also in society today. Alongside panels exploring contemporary ethnicity, gender, and disability issues, there are two created specifically for the exhibition’s tour of Aotearoa, written in English and Māori.

In addition, Anne Frank ‘Let Me Be Myself’ focuses on the role of the upstanders who risked their lives to hide Jews in the secret annex. Without these people, the world would never have read Anne’s diary nor her enduring message of hope: “In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart.”